


The Shelter

by franscats



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21654028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: Henri Brown helps out at a shelter.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13
Collections: Drabble Day - due 03 Dec - Sinterklaas (optionally St Nicholas Day/Eve) prompt





	The Shelter

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Sentinel Secret Santa challenge. The prompt - Sinterklaas.

Detective Henri Brown glanced at the small group of children sitting in a semi-circle around him as he finished reading Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and closed the book. “So,” he told the young children, “Santa Claus comes at night and brings gifts for good little girls and boys. That’s why you all have to get to bed soon. That way Santa has time to come.” Stopping, he glanced up at the adults standing along the wall of the Merchant Street Women’s Shelter. Most were smiling and nodding.

“Is he going to find us here?” asked one of the children, a girl of three or four. “We didn’t live here until yesterday.”

“Santa is good at finding children,” Henri assured her.

“My uncle won’t stop him from coming in?” another small child asked.

“No, your uncle won’t,” Henri promised. “You see the men behind me. They are police officers. They’ll make sure that Santa can come and everyone in here is safe.”

“Because the police help us keep safe,” the director of the battered women’s shelter added stepping forward. “There’s cookies and milk in the main room,” she called out and watched the children and their mothers head into the next room.

Coming forward, she approached Henri with a big smile. “Thank you for doing this, Henri. And for bringing your friends,” she indicated Simon, Rafe, Jim and Blair standing near the back of the room, ready to bring in gifts as soon as the children were upstairs.

“It was our pleasure, Marie,” Henri answered. “When I told the guys I needed to run a toy drive for your shelter, they all wanted to be part of it.” 

Stepping over to the other cops, Marie Williams smiled. “Thank you so much. Having gifts for the children means so much.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Simon answered. “We’ll bring in the gifts. We got through your whole list.”

“And Jim and Blair ran out last night to get the gift for the little girl who arrived yesterday,” Henri added.

Marie Williams smiled, a hand wiping at her suddenly moist eyes. “Thank you again. I’d better go and get things settled inside. I’ll make sure no one comes in while you deliver the gifts.”

Disappearing through the door, she closed it behind her. 

“We should get started,” Rafe began. “You know, I’ve always wanted to play the role of Sinterklaas.”

“Sinterklaas?” Jim asked.

“Saint Nick,” Blair answered. “Sinterklaas was associated with Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, and celebrated in the Netherlands. Sinterklaas gave children gifts. In the US Sinterklaas became Santa Claus.”

“Come on, Sinterklaas,” Jim nudged Rafe. “Let’s get those presents.” 

Rafe nodded and turned to the backdoor, Henri beside him. “Thanks for all your help with this, guys,” Henri said, softly.

“No,” Simon answered. “Thank you for sharing this with us,” he said and Jim, Blair and Rafe nodded their agreement.


End file.
